Stephen Biesty's Incredible Explosions

School Library Journal

(Gr 4-7) Fascinating bits and pieces of information supplied by text and cutaway illustrations on every page make this book a browser's delight. Subjects range from a 19th-century steam tractor to an Antarctica base to a futuristic space station to the inner workings of a windmill. Some of the pictures are almost breathtaking in their detail and beauty. Especially notable is the fold-out spread of a city, which goes all the way down to the formation of the earth at the bottom. Some of the illustrations, such as the view of Venice or the "exploded" human body, are so packed with detail that they are almost overwhelming. An extremely minor complaint: the text of the double-page spread on London's Tower Bridge explains the hydraulic system that was used to lift it, but doesn't explain that this system is no longer in use. Otherwise, the book lives up to its "incredible" billing.Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL

Kirkus Reviews

Once again, this team (Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections: Castle, 1994, etc.) invite readers on a fabulous tour that leads from an "exploded" view of the human body (all anatomy, skin, clothes, and accessories clearly visible in systematic drawings in which the mustache hovers in front of skin, the skin hovers in front of muscle and bone, etc.), through the geology of the Grand Canyon, and up into the proposed US-Soviet space station. Each of the dozen full-color drawings, whether a two-page spread or an overleaf, is loaded with enough minute, engrossingly accurate detail to deserve repeated viewings. Hundreds of captions explain the construction and function of each of the structure's components: Readers learn not only which countries assembled the space station's various modules, but their separate purposes as well. With an elegance worthy of the best engineering, Biesty demonstrates how a windmill grinds grain into flour; how Hollywood film studios play with perspective in an effort to maximize floor space; and the elaborate system of hydraulics necessary to lift London's famous Tower Bridge. Most importantly, however, these drawings capture their subjects on a scale children will adore: The windmill has ten mice, the steam engine's workers carry their sandwiches underneath their hats, and astronauts on the space station use a zero-gee toilet. These amusing details add another dimension of realism and humanity to the work. A fun-filled ride and fact-packed frolic for the whole family.